Fionnuala Britton finished a courageous fourth in the women’s 10,000m final on the final day of the European Track and Field Championships in Helsinki, Finland.
The reigning European Cross Country Champion was a genuine medal contender going into the championships and the Wicklow woman was understandably devastated after missing out on a medal.
“I am really upset with that. Fourth is the worst place to finish, no one wants to finish fourth," said Britton.
"I can’t really say what went wrong, I knew the pace was going to be slow, thats why I picked it up. I didn’t want everyone just sitting on my shoulder, waiting to kick.
"I need to try and get this out of my system now; I have another 10,000m in a month at the Olympics."
Britton ran a courageous race, moving to the front with 19 laps remaining. But behind Britton was a group of eight athletes, including Great Britain’s Jo Pavey and Dulce Felix of Portugal.
Britton continued to wind up the pace as the athletes started to suffer behind her.
However, with seven laps remaining Felix surged to the front and tore the field apart. Britton gave gallant chase, battling all the way, but her exertions told as she faded to finish fourth, in a time of 32:05.54.
Pavey took the silver medal, with young Ukranian athlete Olha Skrypak setting a national junior record of 31:51.32 in finishing third.
Britton’s finishing position was the highest placing of all the Irish athletes competing at the championships.
Other standout performances over the week came from Brian Gregan (Clonliffe Harriers), Jessie and Thomas Barr (Ferrybank AC) and Paul Hession (Athenry AC).
Gregan placed a magnificent sixth in the 400m men’s final. What is even more remarkable about the performance is that, coming into these championships, Gregan had missed a considerable block of early spring training due to illness.
Gregan started off the championships with an outstanding personal best of 45.63 to win his heat. He backed that up with a second place finish in his semi-final (45.76), his second fastest time ever, to qualify for the finals as a real medal contender.
The final, which was Gregan’s third race in three days, proved too much as he injured his groin mid-race and placed sixth when a medal was within reach.
Gregan said “If it hadn’t been for the injury I know I would have got a medal”.
Nonetheless, the championships showcased the undeniable talent and potential Gregan possess.
Jessie Barr made her senior debut at these championships and delighted with an eighth place finish in the women’s 400m hurdles final.
Barr ran brilliantly in her semi-final, setting a personal best of 55.93. Barr finished eighth in the final, won by Irina Davydova of Russia in a brilliant 53.77.
Jessie’s brother, Thomas, made the semi-finals of the men’s 400m hurdles.
At only 19, he is one of the youngest members of the 26-strong Irish team in Helsinki.
Barr set a season’s best time of 50.22 to finish fifth in his semi-final.
Paul Hession demonstrated his championship mettle by making the 200m men’s final, placing eighth.
Hession dealt with the notoriously tight bends to make the final, signifying that his preparations are on track for London.
Hession’s training partner, Steven Colvert of Crusaders AC, was disqualified for a lane infringement in the heats.
Colvert is in the shape of his life, having broken both the 100m and 200m Irish u23 records this year.
Hession, commenting about Colvert, said “I know Steven is in much better shape than that. He is in at least 20.4 shape. The guy has been flying in training.”
Stephanie Reilly (Sli Chulainn AC) made the final of the women’s 3000m steeplechase, placing 12th in a time of 9:53.90. To qualify for the final Reilly ran a season’s best time of 9:44.15.
There were a few disappointing results, in particular the disqualification of Joanne Cuddihy for a lane infringement in the women’s 400m.
Cuddihy demonstrated the shape that she currently is in, when she returned for the relay later in the week and ran a storming second leg.
Cuddihy moved Ireland from seventh position up to third in what can only be described as an outstanding piece of relay running.
Unfortunately the women’s relay team would later be disqualified for an out of zone infringement - the same fate the Irish men’s 4x400m team would also suffer.
